Smilax cordifolia

Smilax cordifolia is a climber that lives for many years. It belongs to the Smilacaceae family. Its native range covers Mexico and Antigua in the Caribbean. Records place it in central and southern Mexico. Plants For A Future also lists it in Tamaulipas. Kew places it in a tropical zone with dry seasons. Useful Tropical Plants reports that people gather wild plants. They use them for food and medicine.

This shrub climbs and grows from a tuberous rootstock. This is a swollen root base. Its stems have prickles, so take care when handling it. The sources give no sound height or spread figures. They give no leaf shape, bark details, or stem colour. Male and female flowers grow on separate plants. A plant cannot use its own pollen to make seed. Grow both sexes to get fruit and seed. The records do not say which months it flowers. Nor do they describe its fruit.

Plants For A Future says it prefers moist soil. It places the plant at woodland edges, in dappled shade. Yet these growing notes draw on the whole genus. They do not show this species' exact needs. The source says no one knows its hardiness in Britain. Its range suggests that mild areas might suit it. This is a tentative view, not a tested cold limit. No source gives a firm limit for winter cold. The records give no pest or disease reports for this species.

Plants For A Future lists the leaves as edible. Its food-use score is low: one out of five. Neither source says how people prepare it for food. Both sources say there are no known hazards. This does not prove it safe for people or pets. The stem prickles pose a separate risk when handling it.

The two plant databases differ on its use as medicine. Plants For A Future lists no known use as medicine. Useful Tropical Plants reports that Mexican folk medicine uses the roots. It also cites studies of root extracts made with water. The account describes effects on fat buildup and oxidative stress. The latter means cell damage linked to oxidation. It also describes effects on inflammation, or swelling. It discusses drinks made with these extracts that might protect the liver. These reports do not prove a home treatment is safe. The sources give gardeners no dose or steps for making medicine.